Among those who use vape pens with oil- and wax-based concentrates, a burnt flavor is probably the most common complaint. So, if your vape pen tastes burnt, you definitely aren’t alone. It takes a good deal of power to vaporize oil or wax, and that means your vape pen operates at a fairly high temperature. If something goes wrong, your device’s heating coil can overheat and glow red – and that’s what causes your vape pen to taste burnt.
If you’re getting a burnt flavor with your vape pen, the correct way to proceed depends on whether you’re using a dab pen or a 510-thread battery for cartridges. There are also certain troubleshooting steps that apply regardless of the type of device you’re using – and in this guide, we’re going to walk you through the process from start to finish.
Does your vape pen taste burnt? Here’s how to fix it.
Try Switching from a Vape Pen to a Nectar Collector
If you’re tired of troubleshooting a vape pen that constantly tastes burnt, one way to fix the problem is by switching to a new type of vaping device that doesn’t suffer from inconsistent flavor quality. An electric nectar collector from a brand like Rokin Vapes is a great alternative to a traditional vape pen because with a nectar collector, the device’s heating element faces down. You dip the element directly into your material, which eliminates the need to soften your wax or warm your oil before vaping it. Using a nectar collector ensures that you’ll always enjoy the best possible flavor with any type of herbal concentrate.
Fixing a Burnt Taste with Any Type of Vape Pen
Regardless of the type of vaping device that you’re using, there are a few basic troubleshooting steps that you should always perform in order to fix a burnt flavor. Start by reducing your device’s voltage or wattage if you’re using a vape pen with adjustable power. Even if your vape pen only has a single fire button, it may still allow you to adjust its power level. You can usually do this by clicking the button two or three times to switch between pre-set voltages.
If your vape pen tastes burnt after you’ve installed a new cartridge, it’s possible that the cartridge has a manufacturing issue that’s causing the coil to overheat. Try using a different cartridge and see if the problem continues.
As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, any type of concentrate vaporizer can produce a certain amount of harshness because oil- and wax-based concentrates require a great deal of heat in order to vaporize. That’s why many vaporizers include adapters that allow you to attach them to bubblers or water pipes. You can also find universal bubbler attachments that fit most vape pens. Try adding water filtration to your vaping setup; you’re likely to find that it significantly improves the flavor quality.
Fixing a Burnt Taste with a Dab Pen
A dab pen with a top-loading coil is probably the type of vaporizer that’s most likely to produce a burnt flavor. That’s because the coil in a dab pen is positioned close to your mouth and can reach very high temperatures. That’s why many dab pens have built-in bubblers – because water filtration is almost a requirement when you’re dabbing. If your dab pen doesn’t have a bubbler, though, there are still some things that you can do to alleviate a burnt flavor.
- After putting wax on your device’s coil, always pulse the coil briefly several times – or use your dab pen’s preheating function if it has one – to soften the wax. If the wax doesn’t melt and cover the coil fully, you’ll get a burnt hit.
- Make sure that the coil isn’t dry. You’ll only get a few puffs from a small dab of wax, and then you’ll need to add more wax to the coil if you want to continue vaping.
- Clean your coil. If you’ve been using your dab pen for a while, it’s likely that a good amount of residue has collected on the coil. The residue will severely reduce your device’s flavor quality. Most dab pens have removable coils, which means that you can clean the coil simply by placing it in a bowl of rubbing alcohol for a few hours. After soaking the coil in alcohol, rinse it and let it dry fully before using it again.
Fixing a Burnt Taste with a 510-Thread Cartridge
Although the coil in a 510-thread cartridge doesn’t quite reach the same temperature as the wax coil on a dab pen, it’s still possible for a cartridge-based vape pen to produce a burnt flavor. Here’s what you can do to fix it.
- Make sure that the cartridge isn’t empty and that the oil in the cartridge covers the wick openings on the sides of the coil. If the oil is below the wick openings, you should refill the cartridge if possible. If the cartridge isn’t refillable, you can tilt it to encourage the last few drops of oil to soak into the wick.
- Confirm that the oil in the cartridge is flowing properly through the wick. Oil-based concentrates are very thick, and they become even more viscous when they’re cold. If you’re getting a burnt flavor with a new cartridge, it’s likely that the oil is too cold to soak into the wick. Warm the cartridge by holding it between your hands or by placing it a plastic bag and running hot water over it. After several minutes, bubbles will begin to form around the cartridge’s wick openings. Wait a while for the oil to absorb before you resume vaping.
- If you’re using a refillable cartridge, it’s probably time to replace it. Although you can usually use a refillable cartridge several times, oil residue will eventually cover the cartridge’s heating coil and reduce its flavor quality. Finish the oil in the cartridge and prepare a new cartridge for use. When filling a new oil cartridge for the first time, it’s always wise to wait at least a half hour to ensure that the ceramic wick is fully saturated.
